Mobile devices typically communicate using a control channel and a traffic channel. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, mobile device 100 performs call set-up using a control channel, and communicates voice and data using a traffic channel. A control channel can also send text messages and/or short message service (SMS) messages.
Typically, secure mobile communications are accomplished using secure data packets over the traffic channel. For example, in a typical secure data exchange, a call is set-up using the control channel, and secure data is exchanged using the traffic channel. The data is typically secured using a standard secure protocol, such as those available under TCP/IP.
Most modern wireless mobile devices such as cellular telephones are capable of secure communications over the traffic channel; however, many wireless carriers require that users subscribe to “data services” in order to use the data capabilities of the mobile device. This is problematic for a third party application provider that desires to implement secure communications to/from a mobile device, since mobile device users may have to subscribe to additional services in order to enjoy the benefits of the third party application.